The present invention relates generally to retractable leashes for animals such as pets, as well as for children, and more particularly relates to a leash configured to be connected to and carried on a collar, chain, harness or another suitable type of article for restraining or controlling an animal or a child, for example, and having a leash strap, cord or tether that can be dispensed and rewound.
One known conventional self-retracting leash for pets includes a casing fastened to a pet collar with a rotatable reel in the casing and a flexible leash wound onto the reel. A spring engages both the reel and the casing and tightly coils the flexible leash in response to unwinding of the leash. Another known conventional self-retracting leash for a pet collar includes a spring driven retractor mechanism that includes a guide ring providing a stop for a handle on a free end of the leash when the leash is retracted, positioning the handle on top of the animal's neck when the leash is not in use.
Another known self-retracting pet leash includes a casing with a spool mounted for rotation within the casing, and a leash coiled on the spool in a retracted position and extendable through an aperture in a wall of the casing. A spring within the casing biases the spool to retract the leash into the hollow casing, and a brake device is engageable with the spool to stop the leash at a predetermined distance from the casing.
It has been found that self-winding leash recoiling systems including a spring mechanism typically makes a leash container housing undesirably large and heavy for miniature pets to continuously carry on a collar, and it has been found that the self-winding leash recoiling systems are typically the first part of a self-winding leash container housing to break.
It would be desirable to provide a leash that can be carried on a collar, chain or harness, or suitable type of article for restraining or controlling an animal or a child, for example, having a leash strap, cord or tether that can be grasped and pulled by the user to dispense the leash strap, cord or tether for use, and that can be rewound by the user. It also would be desirable to provide an improved, lighter weight and more robust self-winding leash that can be latched in a retracted configuration to prevent unwanted extension of the leash, and unlatched by a user for extension or storage of the leash in the retracted configuration. It also would be desirable to provide an improved, lighter weight and more robust manually wound leash that can be latched in a retracted configuration to prevent unwanted extension of the leash, and unlatched by a user for extension or storage of the leash in the retracted configuration. The present invention meets these and other needs.